Title:Fireworks

(SFX: fireworks)

          Dewille: "I think they started when the caveman was stirring the fire, sparks
went into the air and ever since then, we've been trying to figure out how to do it better."

     TOM DEWILLE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE FIREWORKS COMPANY LUNA TECH., INC. HE
SAYS THAT THE CRAFT OF MAKING FIREWORKS HAS BEEN HANDED DOWN FOR CENTURIES
WITH EACH COMPANY CREATING  RECIPES ON JUST HOW TO MAKE THE MOST BRILLIANT
RED OR THE PRETTIEST BLUE. BUT RECENTLY THE ART OF MAKING FIREWORKS IS BECOMING
MORE OF A SCIENCE. TO GET THE BEAUTIFUL COLORS YOU SEE IN A FOURTH OF JULY
DISPLAY INVOLVES A BIT OF PHYSICS, SAYS MECHANICAL ENGINEER MARK GRUBELICH
FROM SANDIA LABS.

     Grubelich: "The more spectacular colors, the reds, the yellows, the blues, are
typically. . . from a particular atom of molecule . . . that gives you those intense colors."

     WHEN FIREWORKS FIRST EXPLODE THE COMBUSTION GIVES A KICK OF ENERGY TO
THE ATOMS IN THE FUEL.  IT FORCES ENERGY IN, THE WAY YOU MIGHT FORCE AIR INTO A
BALLOON.  NOW YOU KNOW THAT A BALLOON THAT'S NOT FASTENED WILL QUICKLY SPURT
THAT AIR RIGHT BACK OUT AND THE ATOM DOES THE SAME THING, EXCEPT INSTEAD OF
FORCING OUT A JET OF AIR, IT SENDS OUT A FLASH OF LIGHT.   SO A FIREWORK IS JUST
BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF ATOMS GIVING OFF A SPARK OF LIGHT ALL AT ONCE.  WHAT
MAKES IT SO PRETTY IS THAT DIFFERENT ATOMS GIVE OFF DIFFERENT COLORS. COMING UP
WITH THE RIGHT COMBINATION OF ATOMS TO MAKE THE BEST COLORS ISN'T CHILD'S PLAY,
BUT THAT'S OK BECAUSE DEWILLE SAYS FIREWORKS AREN'T JUST FOR CHILDREN.

     Dewille: "If I ever grew up I'd be out of a business."